Anthony the Protopsaltis of Putna

Anthony was a hieromonk and chief cantor at Putna in the sixteenth century, a disciple and successor of the protopsaltes Eustathius. He is named in the Romanian Paterikon and venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization; the sources available to us give no day of commemoration.

He entered the Putna community young and learned letters at its school of grammar and psaltic chant. In a short time he became an advanced monk and a skilled cantor, knowing Greek and Slavonic and deftly copying books of spiritual benefit and chants for the choir. After the repose of his teacher Eustathius, Anthony received priesthood and succeeded him as teacher and chief cantor of the school of psaltic music at Putna. He was known in the monasteries of northern Moldavia, and many monks and village youths learned from him to read, to write and to praise God. He was also a good priest and confessor, guiding many souls toward salvation. At the great feasts and the monastery's patronal feast he adorned the church with the most beautiful chants, as in the days of Byzantium.

Between 1546 and 1547 he wrote a book of selected chants, from which the school of psaltic chant learned and sang. He lived and served for more than fifty years, praising God day and night, and passed away in peace, joining the company of the blessed fathers.